Probably the biggest problem a woman candidate faces that a man doesn't has to do with marriage and family. Nobody ever thinks twice about hiring a man who may be contemplating marriage or whose wife may be having a baby. But some companies, for obvious reasons, may be reluctant to invest a lot of money to train a woman who may decide within a year or so that she'd be much happier working at home as a full-time mother. Some companies, too, will be concerned that you are married to a man who may have to relocate as part of his career development. (Although, interestingly enough, the reverse is now beginning to take place: husbands having to change jobs because the wife wants to relocate for a better career opportunity.)
So anything you can do to reinforce the notion that your domestic situation will in no way interfere with your responsibilities to the company is going to work in your favor. Here are some of the questions the interviewer may be thinking about, whether or not the questions get asked, and what you might do to defuse that apprehension.
1. Is she going to get pregnant and have to leave the job for three or four months? Agreed, it's none of the interviewer's business. But if your plans are definitely not to have any children- for a long while, at least-it doesn't hurt to volunteer this information, albeit in an indirect way. Such as, "I'm very serious about my career. My husband understands this, and is very supportive."
2. She has young children: will they interfere with her duties at work? Chances are you've made adequate arrangements for your children. Otherwise, you wouldn't be looking for a job. Stress at some point in the interview how lucky you are to have somebody (whoever that is) who loves your children, whom your children love, and so on.
3. She's single now, but what's going to happen after she gets married? The same principle as in the first question. "Career" is a code word. If you stress it, it will convey the notion that your mind is on business, and marriage won't interfere with your career.
4. Can she handle the pressure? Women have proved themselves in the marketplace today, and I don't think you have to worry too much about this question. Time was when some placement specialists would tell a woman to, in effect, "acts like a man," whatever that means. Nonsense; be businesslike, and be yourself. You have nothing more to prove to the interviewer than a man does.
